Odorizing apparatus and method for gas lines



Nov. 9, 1937. F. A. HOUGH ODORIZING APBARATUS AND METHOD FOR GAS LINES Filed Sept; 22, 1931 2 Sheets$heet 1 Nov. 9, 1937. F. A. HOUGH 2,098,626

ODORIZING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR GAS LINES Filed Sept. 22, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jwomto a fz o ere'c A. Hougg/ aw I Patented Nov. 9, 1937 ODOBIZING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR GAS LINES Frederic A; Rough, Pasadena, Calif.

Application September 22, 1231, Serial No. 564,456

10 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus and a method for introducing an odorant into a line in which a fluid is flowing, for example, a' gas line.

- Many deaths have resulted from the fact that illuminating gas or gas for domestic or industrial use, leaks out in such a way as to poison the air, or cause an explosive mixture. For this reason, it is desirable to introduce into gas, an odorant, which, if the gas, escapes, will be so disagreeable as to call attention to the leak immediately.

The general object of this invention is to produce a simple apparatus and method forintroducing an odorant or other substance into a gas line.

A fm'ther object of the invention is to provide means for feeding small quantities of the odorant into a line at a rate approximately proportional to the rate of gasfiow, and to provide means for controlling the rate of feed of the odorant through the agency of a differential pressure, and/ or static pressure in the line before, and at the point where the odorant is being introduced; also to provide means for automatically increasing the feed of the odorant if the quantity of the gas flowing in the line increases.- r

In-the practice of the invention the apparatus preferably. includes a feedingdevice or chamber inwhich a smallquantity of the odorant is maintained and fed forward through a regulated connection into the pipe line, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide-a sight feed device cooperating with the feeding container in such a way as to enable the amount of feed to be observed and measured from time to time, if desired; and also to connect the sight feed device all of which cooperate to produce an effective method for: introducing a substance into a gas line.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described 'in the following specification, while the .broad scope of the invention is pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

' Figure 1 is a diagrammatic-view, illustrating apparatus embodying the invention and by which mymethod can be practiced, and representing the apparatus connected to, a pipe line, certain parts being brokemaway.

Figure 2 "is a vertical section through a feed container for the liquid which is fed into the line, and particularly illustrating the preferred construction of the same for maintaining a liquid in the container under pressure and for maintaining a substantially constant level of the liquid in the container.

Figure 3is a similar vertical section through another embodiment of the feed container, which may be employed in the apparatus shown in Figure' 1 instead of the feed device illustrated in Figure 2. a a

Figure 4 is a vertical section through a pressure control valve, illustrated in Figure 1, and particularly illustrating the construction of this valve which enables the amount of flow through the valve to be regulated by the pressure maintained in the feed device.

.In practicing the invention, I maintain a feed chamber for the odorant to which the odorant is supplied in liquid form. I subject the surface of this liquid in the feed device to a pressure equal in such relation to the feeding'container as will =-to that before the restricting device in the gas enable it to cooperate in maintaining a substantially constant level for the liquid in the feeding container. 40 A further object of the invention is to'provide an eflicient method for effecting the continuous and automatic introduction of an odorant or other substance into a gas line, utilizing the difierential and/or static presure established in the line to maintain the continuous operation ofthe apparatus and method. Further objects of the invention will appear.

hereinafter. f As regards the apparatus, the invention consists in the novel parts and combinations of parts to be described hereinafter, all of which contribute to produce an eflicient odorizing apparatus and method for gas lines.

The invention also residesin the steps and combination of steps to be described hereinafter,

line to enable the odorant to be introduced into a the gas flowing in the line.

Means isprovided for restricting the flow in the line. For this purpose, I prefer to employ an orifice disc having an orifice through it of smaller diameter than the pipe line, thereby developing a zone of differential static pressure in the line;

that is to say, a differential pressure is developed in the gas in front of, and beyond, the orifice. In addition .to this, I provide a feed device containing a quantity of the liquid, and in this feed device the liquid is subjected to a pressure 'correerably includes a p iessurecontrolled valve that automatically increases the flow of the odorant if the static pressure rises in the line. This con 45 connected through a valve V with a pipe line comprising two sections I and 2, between which i toconstructthesightfeed deviceinsuchaway that, if desired, the amount of odorant being delivered by the sight iced device can be collected for a short period of time without disturbing the rateoiflow oi'liquidtoascertainpositivelythe rate of feeding forward oi the odorant into the 7 line.

The apparatus also preferably includes an vated reservoir or container for a supply bath the odorant located at a higher level than feed device, so that a gravity feed takes from the reservoir to the feed device.

the liquid fed into the feeding deviceto overcome the pressure in the iced device, the liquid gas line at a point beiore the restricting means, thereby insuring that, at all times, the static pressure of this line at this point is maintained in both the reservoir and the feed device.

One of the features of the invention consists in locating the sight teed device, so that its delivery outletis at the normallevel oi the liquid in the feeddevice, thereby insuring that the bath of liquid inthe feed device will not drain out of the feed device when there is no flow at gas to be odorized.

Although it is possible to introduce small quantitles of a liquid odorant directly into the line beyond the restricting means, I prefer to provide a fog g apparatus including a vaporizer in which the odorant is converted into a vapor that passes readily intothe gas line so as to difluse itself quickly throughout the gas flowing in' the} line.

represents a pipe leading-from a gas supply and restricting means 3 is provided, said restricting means preferably consisting of an orifice disc 1 having an orifice of reduced diameter, thereby operating to produce a diflerentiai pressure zone in the sections i and I of the line.- The direction of flow of the gas is indicated by the arrows. The apparatus includes a feed device (see Figure 2) with a restricted flow opening for the odorant. This feed device preferably has a pressure chamber 5 in its Upper part and carries a regulating bath 1 oi a liquid, such as an odorant, which is to be introduced into the pipe line. The interior of this feed device is connected by pipe connections 8, 9 and ID with the section i o! the pipe line at .a point before the means 3, although, if desired, any suitable means may be provided for maintaining a pressure in the chamber 6 corresponding to the static pressure in the section I of the pipeline. The pipe connection 8 is provided with a suitable valve ii, and another valve i 2 may be provided in the connection ii for controlling flow oi the gas into this feed device. The feed device is provided with an outlet l3, which ispreierably elevated above the bottom ll of the feed device and is at the normal level of the bath 1, which level is in dicated by the line it. This outlet ll connects by a duct 33a to the chamber carrying the bath Referring-more particularly to the parts. in

AMI,

totheflpeconnectionvisandhavingadelivery mrtietiloppositeawindowli oiglassorsimilar material at which the drops or stream.passing tromtheoutlet2lcanbeoboerved,andthisdelivery outlet II is preferably at or above the normsllevelliofthebath'iintheieeddevice. This insures that when the apparatus is standingidietheliquidintheieeddevicewillnotdrain mitoiitandwilibepreierablymaintainedat alitimesabovetheleveiottheoutletportsat i3.

Inordertoenabletherateoiieedtobeaccurately measured when desired at the sight feed device, I prefer to provide a calibrated chamber 22 below the window 2| and into'which the liquid poses. Below this calibrated chamber, a valve 23 is placed. By closing this valve 23, the quantity oflhuidsccumulatedinthegaugeflcanbe measured for a given time,v and this quantity will, of course, indicate the amount of odorant thatispossingintothelineinthismeasured time.

A by-poss pipe i4 is provided around the call brated, chamber 22 including a valve 15. This valve 25 would normally be open, so that the closing of valve 23 will not afiect pressure conditions in sight teed device It. The liquid drips past the upper connection tothis by-pass 24.

limytheliquidthatpassesthevalvefl may be passed directly into the low pressure side loithe line,b utIpreier tovaporizetbis liquid andpassitintothelineintheiormoiaiog or vapor. For this purpose, the valve it'is preterably connected to a pipe connection It that connectstoacoilfldisposedaroundacentral drum 28 within the vaporizer, the lower end 29 oitbecoilbeingsetinthewall-oithisdrumso .ss to deliver the liquid or vapors oi the liquid into the interior of the drum. The drum is encloledinacasingllhavinganupper head 3| provided with an'outlet connection 32 leading irmntheinterioroithedrumiorcarrying the vapors oil from the drum and delivering the same through the side of. the line section 2 at the point. This pipe connection may be providcd with a suitable valve u. The coil 21 is heated in any manner desired, but preferably by means of a gas burner)! supplied with gas ,thromh'avaive I8 and passingdown througha pipe connectim 31 from a thermostatic valve I8,

theopeningotwhichisregulatedbymeansoia thermostatapassmgdown intothe interior of thedrumiromtheupperheadfl. Thisvalveil maybesuppliedwithgasi'romany suitable source, but, if desired, this may be accomplished 'by providing a pipe connection ll leading ofl iromthesectionl oithepip'elinebeyondasecand valve V, and this pipeconnection in may be provided with a suitable valve 4i and an autoni f-pressm'e regulator I! for reducing the presto maintain a substantially constant level for the bath 1 (see Fig. 2), I provide the feed device with an automatically controlled valve 45. This valve is preferably of a needle valve type, the stem of the valve being disposed in a vertical position and held against its seat by a float 41 pivotally mounted at 48 on the valve casing and formed with a shoulder 49 that engages the lower end of the valve stem. This float 41 may be made 01 sheet metal with a vent tube 50 extending from a chamber within it to an elevated point in the chamber 5 to equalize pressure on the interior and exterior of the float and prevent its being crushed by external pressure.

The valve 45 is supplied with the odorant through a pipe connection 5|, which may deliver into a screen chamber 52 in the covering of the feed device and which is provided with a screen 53. This screen is accessible by reason of a removable plug 54 located above it. 7

A suitable source of supply is maintained for supplying liquid to the pipe connection 5|, and this source of supply should 'be maintained under pressure corresponding to the pressure existing in the line section I. For this purpose, I

within the reservoir. The surface of the liquid in this reservoir is subjected to the line pressure in the section I of the. line. Consequently, the space in this reservoir above the liquid level constitutes a closed gas chamber. For this purpose, the pipe Si is extended upwardly through a pipe connection 51 that is connected through the upper side of the reservoir. The reservoir may be supplied with liquid from its underside through a connection 58 connecting to a supply line 59,

and provided with two valves 60 and 51 on each side of the connection 58.. By closing the valve 60 and opening valve 6i, liquid can flow into the reservoir, it being understood that at this time a drain valve'52 would be closed.

The pipe connection 59 leads over past the valve 50 and connects to the pipe 5| already described.

It will be evident that with the apparatus described above, a pressure will always be maintained in the feed device 5 corresponding to the pressure in the line section I and consequently when there is a flow of gas through line I, a diflerential of pressure will exist capable of feeding forward the odorant through'the fogging compensatingmeans for increasing the delivery' of odorant to the line. For thispurposa in the pipe connection l8. and preferably between the feed device 5 and the sight feed I9, I provide a pressure controlled valve 63 (see Figs. 1 and 4).

This valve is formedwith a pressure chamber 64, to which the liquid is admitted from the feed ing pressure.

device 5, and this chamber 54 is connected with the interior of a bellows 55 extending up in the valve bonnet 65. The upper head 51 of the bellows carries a valve stem 58 having a tapered neck 69 that moves to and fro in an orifice 10, ac-

. cordingly as it is regulated by the elongation or contraction of the bellows 55, under the chang- In Figure 4, this valve is shown at rest, at which time there is no effective opening in the orifice 10. Below the orifice 10 the valve has a delivery chamber 1|, the outlet of which connects to the sight feed IS.

The bellows 55 can be set for different pressures through -the agency of an adjusting screw 12, against which a spring 13 thrusts, the lower end of the spring seating on the .upper head 51 of the bellows.

In Figure 3, I illustrate another embodiment of a feed device, which, if desired, can be employed instead of the feed device 5. In this embodiment of the feed device a ball float 14 is provided, which is guided to rise and fall in a substantially vertical direction, the upper end of the ball operating through a system of levers 15 to control a needle valve 16 that controls the admission of the odorant from the supply. The pressure in the interior of this feed device is maintained bya pipe connection 11 corresponding to the pipe in of Figure l.

The side of the casing forms a sight feed provided with a window 18, back'of which a gauge chamber 19 is formed, which is connected through ports 80 and 8! with the interior of the feed device. If the absolute pressure within the gas line is below atmospheric pressure, it will not be necessary to provide a high pressure in the feed device 5, nor in the reservoir '55. Under these circumstances, it will merely be necessary to have a pressure in them slightly higher than the absolute in the gas line, for example, the pressure equal to atmospheric pressure in the feed device and the reservoir would be suflicient to enable the apparatus to operate.

Any odorant may be employed in practicing this invention, that will be readily detected when line, a difierential of pressure is established between the pipe sections 1) before the restricting means, and (2) beyond the restricting meafis. The pressure in the section I of the line ismaintained through the pipe connections 8, 9, and 51, in the feeddevice 5 and in the reservoir 55. The odorant or other liquid being fed into the l ne passes by gravity from the elevated reservoir down the pipe 59 and through .pipe 5| into the interior of the feed device 5. The float 41 maintains a substantially constant level with the bath 1 in the feed device maintaining the level of the bath at about the level of line l5, which is above the outlet l3 on. this feed device. The liquid inthe bath passes through the orifice disc I5 into the connection l8. This disc l5 ofi'ers opportunity for regulation of the flow from the feed device. Bysubstituting a disc with a smaller orifice l1 the flow from the feed device can be this valve to open and give an increased flow of odorant. If the pressure drops this valve will restrict further the flow of the odorant. And as the operation of the device depends upon a differential of pressure, it is obvious that when no differential pressure exists, as when no gas is flowing in the line, no odorant will be supplied to the line.

I of movement of the odorant into the line.

"The flow of the odorant at all times can be observed at the sight feed l9, and, when desired, by closing the valve 23, the odorant passing through the sight feed can be collected during a measured period of time to indicate the rate In the vaporizer at 30 the odorant or any other liquid will become vaporized into a fog, which passes through the pipe connection 32 into the line at 33. q

This apparatus can be employed for introducing a lubricant into the gas line to reduce the frictional losses of the flow of the gas through a pipe system, and, if desired, the introduction of such a lubricant can be carried on simultaneously with the introduction of an o'dorant.

It is understood that the embodiment of the invention described herein is only one of the many embodiments this invention may take, and I do not wish to be limited in the practice of the invention, nor in the claims, to the particular embodiment set forth.

What I claim is:-- i 1. In apparatus for injecting a liquid into a gas, the combination of a pipe line for conducting the gas, restricting means for restricting the flow of the gas at a point in the pipeline to cause a differential of static pressure in the line before and beyond the location of the restricting means, a closed container for holding a quantity of the liquid, means for subjecting the surface of the liqud in the container to a pressure varying with the variations ofthe static pressure in the pipe line at a point before said restricting means and a connection from the container including regulating means for regulating the flow of the liquid, connected to the pipe line beyond said restricting means, said regulating means including a pressure controlled compensator valve regulated by variations of the static pressure in the pipe line and having means for varying the effective valve opening to increase the flow of the liquid through the connectlon when the said static pressure rises.

2. In apparatus for injecting a liquid into a gas, the'combinatlon of a pipe line for conducting the gas, restricting means for restricting the flow of the gas at a point in the pipe line to cause a differential of static pressure in the line before and beyond the location of the restricting means,

. a closed reservoir for holding a supply bath of the liquid, a' connection from the pipe line at a I point before the restricting means leading into the said reservoir for subjecting the surface of the liquid to the pipe line pressure, said reservoir having a feed outlet below the level of the bath, automatic valve-means for effecting a restricted feed of the liquid from the bath, a sight-feed device for receiving the liquid fed forward from the bath and having its delivery opening located below the level of the bath in said reservoir, means for connecting the sight-feed device with the pipe line beyond said restricting means, and an automatic pressure-regulated compensating valve between the reservoir and the sight-feed device, said pressure-regulated valve having means controlled by the static pressure existing in said reservoir for regulating the eifective valve opening through the compensating valve, and thereby affecting the flow through the firstnamed valve means.

3. In apparatus for injecting a liquid into a gas, the combination of a pipe line for conducting the gas, restricting means for restricting the flow of the gas at a point in the pipe line to cause a differential ofstatic pressure in the line before and beyond the location of the restricting means, a closed reservoir for holding a supply bath of the liquid, a connection from the pipe line at a point before the restricting means leading into the said reservoir for subjecting the surface of the liquid to the pipe line pressure, said reservoir having a feed outlet below the level of the bath, a feed device with a chamber having a regulating bath therein and including a float-controlled valve for eflecting a restricted feed of the liquid from the supply bath to the regulating bath, a sight-feed device for receiving the liquid fed forward from the regulating bath and having its delivery opening located at or about the level of the regulating bath in said feed device, means for connecting the sight-feed device with the pipe line beyond said restricting means, an automatic pressure-regulated valve between the reservoir and the sight-feed device, and having a pressure-controlled device controlled by the static pressure in the liquid from the regulating bath, and automatic means for maintaining a substantially constant surface level for said regulating bath.

4. In apparatus for injecting a liquid into a gas, the combination of a pipe line for conducting the gas, restricting means for restricting the flow of the gas at a point in the pipe line to cause a differential of static pressure in the line before and beyond the location of the restricting means,,a closed reservoir for holding a supply bath of the liquid, a connection from the pipe line at a point before the restricting means leading into the said reservoir for subjecting the surface of the liquid to the pipe line pressure. said reservoir having a feed outlet below the level of the bath, valve means for effecting a restricted feed of the liquid from the bath, ,a sight-feed de-,

vice for receiving the liquid fed forward from the bath and having its delivery opening located below the level of the bath in said reservoir, means for connecting the sight-feed device with the pipe line beyond said restricting means, said sight feed device having a collecting cup with a valve below the same to be closed at will for enabling the filllag time of the'cup to be observed.

5. In apparatus for lnjecting'a liquid into a gas, the combination of a pipe line for conducting the gasunder pressure above atmospheric pressure, restricting means for restricting the flow of the gas at a point in the pipe line to cause a i said reservoir having a bottom feed-outlet congas at a point in the pipe line to cause a difi'erential of static pressure in the line before and be-' yond the location of the restricting means, a closed reservoir from whichthe atmosphere is excluded for holding a supply bath 0'! the liquid,- a connection from the pipe line at a point before the restricting means leading into the said reser-v voir for subjecting the surface of the liquid to the pipe line pressure, said reservoir having a feed outlet below the level of the bath, a feed device having a regulating bath in thesame supplied with liquid from the said reservoir and having a closed chamber above the level of the liquid in the feed device communicating with the pipe line before the restricting means, said feed device having an inlet for admitting liquid from the supply bath, a valve controlling the same, and a float in the regulating bath-oi the feed device for controlling the valve, and a connection between said regulating bath and the pipe line beyond the restricting means.

7. In a system for regulating the'injection of liquid material into a gas stream, so that a-substantially uniform concentration of said material in the gas is maintained, a combination of means for injecting the liquid material, comprisingza differential pressure-producing means in the. gas stream, means for discharging a liquid stream into said gas stream, a difierential pressureresponsive means in communication with the gas stream adapted-to control the flow of the liquid in accordance with the velocity of the gas, and a static pressure-responsive means including a valve in communication with the gas stream and capable of maintaining a predetermined mass ratio of the injected liquid to the gas.

8. In apparatus for injecting a liquid into'a gas, the combination oi a duct for the gas, restricting means for restricting the flow of the gas at apoint in the duct to cause a diflerential of static pressure in the duct before and beyond the location of the restricting means, a closed reservoir for holding a supply bath of the. liquid elevated above the duct, a connection from the duct at a point before the restricting means leading into the said reservoir for subjecting the horizontal upper surface of the liquid to the duct pressure,

siderably below the level of the bath; a closed casing, a valve seat within the casing, a floatcontrolled valve closing upon said valve seat against the pressure exerted by the liquid from said supply bath, means for subjecting the interior oi the casing and the back of the valve to static pressure of the duct, said valve operating to eflect a restricted feed of the liquid from the supply bath, and meansfor connecting theoutlet from the valve to the duct beyond the said restricting means. I

9. In apparatus for supplying a liquid to a gas line, the combination of a gas conduit through which the gas flows, restricting means for restricting the flow of gas at a point in the said conduit, a closed reservoir for the liquid elevated above the conduit and having a bottom outlet with a closed delivery duct leading therefrom and connected to the conduit beyond the restricting means, means for subjecting the horizontal upper surface of the supply. liquid in the reservoir to substantially the same pressure asthe gas in the gas conduit before the restricting means, valve means connected into the delivery duct for shutting off flow of the liquid which flows by gravity from the reservoirQand for regulating the flow of the liquid therefrom to the said conduit, and means including a ,float. actuated .by differences in liquid level for controlling the said valve through the agency of the differential pressure existing across the said restricting means.

, 10. The method of injecting a liquid odorant into a gas line carrying a gas-flowing under a pressure greater than atmospheric pressure, which consists in restricting the flow of gas in the pipe line .to develop a difierential pressure in the line before and beyond the restricted point,

. maintaining an elevated feed bath of the'liquid to be injected, above the gas line and from which the atmospheric pressure is excluded, subjecting the horizontal upper surface of the feed bath to the static pressure of the line before the restricted point, maintaining a supply reservoir with a bottom opening at an elevation above that of the feed bath so that the liquid from the reservoir flows by the action of gravity down through the, bottom opening to the feed bath, subjecting thehorizontal'upper surface of the liquid in the reservoir to tliestatic pressure of the line before the restricted point, supplying liquid from the said bath to the gas line beyond the restricted point, and varying the flow from the feed bath in accordance with variations in th diiferential pressure. I

F'REDERIC A. HOUGH. 

